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Wow, I cannot believe that I have finished classes for my Education degree and only have one final to go before I am done! The past 4 years have passed me by so quickly, especially this past semester. I remember being told that this semester always drags on but I found it amazingly fast. I was so busy with classes and preparing for interviews that I did not have time to stop and reflect on how far we have all come. I encourage everyone to stop and think about where you were 4 years ago and the person you were when you entered university.

I can still remember my first day of university. My first class was Sociology 100 at 8:30 a.m. I took the bus and had to be out my door by 7: 30 a.m. and I’m proud to say I’ve only missed the bus once in 3 years. I was a completely different person when I entered university in comparison to who I am now. I was much more insecure then I am now; I had zero confidence in my ability to do well. I have always been a perfectionist and could never live up to my own expectations. Now, I have gained some confidence because of many positive experiences that happened as a result of being in the Education program. Pre-internship and internship were huge confidence boosters; they were proof that I could be successful in doing what I love.

I have also become a critical thinker. I first learned about critical thinking in Sociology 100. My professor always told us to “think critically” and “question everything, even your professors”. This was a huge change for me since in high school we were given the message that everything our teachers told us was right. We were never encouraged to question them. At first, I had difficulty with critical thinking because of my high school experiences. I believe a major turning point for me was enrolling in Women’s Studies 100. I was fascinated with all of the new ways of thinking and began to think differently and more critically than I ever had in my entire life. The class challenged a lot of what I had learned in school, especially in History. We talked a lot about the people in history with less agency (women and minority cultures, especially First Nations and Metis). The class truly was life-changing for me because it changed my entire perspective of our society.

I have met so many amazing people in the past 4 years and developed some great relationships. In my opinion, the people are the best part of the Faculty of Education. I have had some negative experiences being in this faculty but I always knew that there were people willing to support me. I can’t thank everyone enough for all of the memorable times we’ve had together. I wish everyone the best of luck!